Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Rolling up both sleeves to directly strengthen the army?

"Let’s say you became Chief of Staff right now. Which Duma members and bureaucrats reviewing the military budget would dare cast opposing votes?"

"...Wouldn’t State Council elders or those seeking media attention evaluate coldly?"

"They would examine. But oppose? Old men fearing the next election and facing retirement absolutely cannot touch the military."

I can pride myself on knowing better than anyone the problems when one person’s influence becomes too great, having risen to Tsar.

"Even the Okhrana Director here would have been polite and courteous when investigating you. He had to be. Who would roughly tie up and investigate the great commander who defeated the Empire of Japan and brought Germany to its knees?"

Even Sukhomlinov leading the military committee under the cabinet can’t touch Roman now.

If there’s anyone left... maybe Rödiger who’s rolled since the early military reforms of ’98 with Kuropatkin? 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

But even Rödiger can only suppress with experience and seniority, control is impossible.

’The generational change coming too late is also a problem. After Kuropatkin, Brusilov, Ivanov, Alexandrovich. Their successive departures left big gaps.’

The situation where generational change was impossible even to prepare for the Great War after Dukhovskoy probably contributed to Roman’s solid position now.

"But Your Majesty. Don’t look at such external factors, look at my sincerity. Military reform is essential regardless of my will to become Chief of Staff."

"You’re unconditionally necessary? Do engineers study such things these days?"

"Having run the field more than anyone, I pride myself on knowing well."

This time throwing off all pitiful pretense, Roman met my eyes.

Quietly receiving Roman’s sincerity, I judged there was need to listen once.

"...The army’s field combat doctrine was completed before Brusilov retired. Simultaneous attack in actual combat, breakthrough of lines, combined arms utilization, etc. He already proved it several times in the south. What would you do after becoming Chief of Staff?"

"I would overturn everything - cavalry, engineering, artillery, infantry, and even aviation. Because there’s no need to handle each branch with drawn lines anymore."

He even prepared detailed content about the army reform he argued for yesterday.

"Why."

"The military has moved beyond the era of conscripting farmers, with everything becoming complex and sophisticated. The lengthening education period and increasing time needed for training is proof. From now on, all units must know how to make basic trenches and have mobility comparable to cavalry."

"That’s obvious."

No country is unaware of the need for military modernization. Can’t you tell just by seeing how Germany can’t give up tank development even with their hands and feet tied?

"Infantry no longer stands at the front with artillery following. We won’t stockpile large reserves for confrontation with the enemy."

"I can’t understand. An Army General denying the proven theories that won us the Great War."

"Your Majesty, in the East, even trenches were simply pierced before large-scale attrition battles. I who have prepared defensive warfare my whole life can guarantee it. Fortresses? Trenches? Barbed wire and mines? These no longer guarantee defensive power."

My thoughts on this statement... I see it as persuasive.

Especially hearing such words from Roman, master of defensive warfare, certainly all those garbage proposals like building fortresses in Poland can be gathered up and burned.

"There will no longer be soldiers running on the battlefield holding just a Mosin-Nagant. Future wars must prepare for somewhat more violent and one-sided battles. This isn’t the common crisis that agitators speak of. Infantry mass battles are over now."

If we had to pick just one reason why the Imperial Army won against enemies despite not being the world’s highest level strong army.

It was simply because we had large numbers.

And Roman was declaring in this place.

That just having large numbers can no longer be positioned as the greatest advantage.

’I acknowledge this part too. The importance of a strong army grows greater as eras pass.’

It’s not particularly for Roman to point out problems that were sufficiently predicted before.

"So you’ll make an army with engines? Create a strong army by raising quality through methods like mechanization?"

"What? That’s not the focus. Just as Stormtroopers couldn’t break through Paris no matter how powerful, we need elite forces, but it’s difficult to make the entire army strong."

"Then."

"If I had to say... mechanized quantity."

"..."

I’ve heard generals talk before me about making their units the world’s most elite or establishing special forces, but this is the first time hearing about mass producing moderately strong mechanized units.

"P-please recognize that my loyal heart remains unchanged!"

"No, continue."

"Ahem, this isn’t the era of Rome’s professional soldiers, and how strong can a relatively strong army be? To use an analogy, it may take 10 years with no certainty to raise one pilot ace, but teaching a thousand cadets how to fly takes just half a year at air force school."

Anyway, even for a strong army, the conscription system is essential to operate large numbers of standing forces.

A moderate level of elite forces with overwhelming mechanized quantity.

"Artillery changes?"

"Mount howitzers on tracked tractors."

"You said not to put infantry at the front. Infantry?"

"Mount direct-fire guns on tracked tractors."

"Unit defensive power?"

"Add armor to tracked tractors."

"Mine clearing, communications, reconnaissance, command units, supply units, evacuation. Special missions?" Explore stories on freewebnovel

"Mount plows, communication equipment, carry people and wounded on tracked tractors. Special mobile units can ride trucks instead of tractors."

"...Pass."

What’s this? I haven’t even brought up proper doctrine talk yet, but why does nothing sound wrong to me?

"Quite the mechanization devotee. Did someone teach you?"

"In the field now they wear helmets instead of fur hats or caps even in cold. Similarly, I realized that with fortresses’ effectiveness gone, only armor and mobility can replace this defensive power."

Roman Isidorovich Kondratenko.

The Empire’s greatest fortress commander in history.

Master of defensive warfare.

God of trenches.

Demon of attrition warfare.

He had somehow become the founder of the Russian version of élan vital.

"Yes, Your Majesty. I’ve realized it! That the best offense is the best defense!"

With a somewhat twisted offensive spirit installed.